In a highly anticipated boxing showdown, former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua showcased his superior skill, defeating social media influencer-turned-professional boxerJake Paul by knockout in the sixth round. The scheduled eight-round main event took place on Saturday night at Kaseya Center in Miami, where Paul suffered the second loss of his career and his first by knockout.

From the outset, Paul's strategy appeared to be one of evasion, as he circled away from Joshua, drawing jeers from a restless crowd that yearned for more action. His reluctance to engage helped him survive the initial rounds, even lasting longer than some of Joshua's previous opponents like Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin. However, Paul's conditioning ultimately betrayed him as the hulking Brit systematically pursued his tiring opponent.

The tide turned decisively in Round 5 when, despite Paul landing a right hand, an unfazed Joshua responded with a dominant offensive. He scored a pair of knockdowns, first with a powerful body shot and then with a crisp 1-2 combination. Entering Round 6, a wounded Paul was clobbered to the canvas again by a right hand from Joshua. Though Paul managed to get up, he couldn't escape the inevitable, as Joshua delivered a scintillating short right hand, putting Paul down for good at the 1:31 mark, securing his 26th career knockout.

For Jake Paul (12-2), this loss marks a significant setback. He had entered the fight on the heels of a unanimous decision win over former middleweight titleholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June, having previously won six straight since his lone prior defeat, a split decision loss to Tommy Fury in February 2023. Paul's schedule had been altered for this bout, as he was originally slated to face lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis in a November 14 exhibition, which was canceled due to a civil suit filed against Davis.

Anthony Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) continued his journey to reclaim championship glory. He previously lost his WBO, IBF, and WBA titles to Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021 and subsequently dropped their rematch 11 months later. Joshua had rebounded with four victories before being stopped by Daniel Dubois in September 2024, making this win over Paul a crucial statement performance.

The event and its details were covered by ESPN combat sports reporter Andreas Hale, who specializes in MMA, boxing, and pro wrestling. Hale, a former senior writer at DAZN and Sporting News, and an NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker, provided insightful analysis and fight results, including editorial picks, offering comprehensive coverage of the high-stakes encounter.